In automotive vehicles such as automobiles, pick-up trucks, recreational vehicles and the like, a problem frequently arises in finding sufficient storage space for various articles which are to be carried in the vehicle. Such articles include, eyeglasses, sunglasses, cards, paper products, pens, pencils, maps, calendars, calculators, and the like. A driver often desires ready access to such items. Most automobiles and light trucks have glove compartments in them. These glove compartments, however, are of relatively limited capacity and are suitable only for storing small articles such as maps, flashlights and the like. In addition, glove compartments usually are located at the right-hand end of the vehicle dashboard and are difficult to reach from the driver's seat. This is particularly true of pick-up trucks which have a relatively wide body width. If a flashlight or small fire extinguisher is placed in a conventional glove compartment, it usually is filled or nearly filled by such an article, thereby rendering storage of other items in the glove compartment difficult or impossible.
Some vehicles have additional pockets or compartments placed in the doors and, in the case of pick-up trucks, there may be limited storage behind the seat. Behind-the-seat storage, however, is inconvenient since usually it is necessary for the vehicles to be stopped and the driver and passenger to be out of the seat to permit pulling the back forward to gain access to anything stored behind it. Many recent model automobiles and trucks also incorporate tape and disc players as part of the sound system, and it is necessary to find a storage location for tapes and compact discs carried into the vehicle for playing in such players.
One result of this dearth of storage space is the placement of a variety of articles on the dashboard of the vehicle. This is unsightly, the sun can cause substantial damage to or actually destroy any tapes or heat-sensitive plastic articles placed in such a location, and articles placed on top of the dashboard create a distraction to the driver and interfere with the operation of the defrosters and may fall off the dashboard which can create a danger to a passenger or to the driver, let alone a danger of damaging the article itself.
In an effort to provide additional and unobtrusive storage for vehicles, various attempts have been made in the past for mounting racks, storage units, or shelves adjacent the roof of the vehicles. Many such racks are custom designed cabinets or compartments for housing stereo components, CB radios and other electric gear. A wide variety of racks have been devised for storing tape cartridges to be played in the vehicle cartridge tape player. However, many racks must be nearly custom made for the particular vehicle and thus may be very expensive. Even then, such racks may not provide sufficient storage space.
Other efforts to provide increased storage in a vehicle by means of a shelf located at or adjacent the ceiling. However, such shelves may be unsightly and may interfere with operation of the motor vehicle.
Other storage cabinets, requiring substantially custom installation, are available for location above the dashboard of the vehicle adjacent the upper edge of its windshield. Since such storage cabinets, as so far are known to applicant, require custom design and fitting and, further, require the drilling of holes in the vehicle roof or body frame components, they are not universally adaptable and generally are not of the type which can be installed by the vehicle owner himself.
It is well known to provide a sun visor for the windshield of a vehicle, wherein the sun visor is mounted on a roof panel of the vehicle for movement between a storage position adjacent the vehicle headliner, a first use position adjacent the windshield, and a second use position adjacent a side-door window opening.
In an effort to provide storage space, some automobile sun visors are provided with an accessory article that is fastened therewith for keeping a variety of small items, such as business card, picture, driver's license, pen, small notebook, pamphlet, etc. In view of the fact that the accessory article of the automobile sun visor is not provided with an organizer, these small items are often kept in a disorganized manner. In addition, the accessory article undermines the esthetic effect of the automobile sun visor. Additionally, add on devices which are strapped to the vehicle sun visors can be bulky and pose a safety hazard to the vehicle operator in the event of an accident since if attached to the visor, they are located at the head level of the vehicle. Also, they detract from the appearance of the vehicle interior and are frequently inconvenient to use.
Therefore, there is a need for a means for storing items in a motor vehicle which will not have the disadvantages mentioned above.